Label

ABSTRACT

A label for attachment to a container, the label comprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a series of panels by a plurality of transverse fold lines, the strip being folded about the transverse fold lines so that one end panel and the adjacent panel form rear and front cover panels, respectively, which envelope the remaining panel or panels of the folded strip, the rear cover panel of the strip being shorter in the longitudinal direction than at least the front cover panel and a third panel, which is adjacent the front panel, extending beyond the free end of the rear cover panel and having a rearwardly directed over-lapping portion; and a support web to which is adhered the rear face of the rear cover panel, the over-lapping portion being releasably adhered to the support web so as to maintain the folded label in a closed configuration, the arrangement being such that the label can be opened by detaching the over-lapping portion from the support web.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a label and in particular to aself-adhesive label to be attached to a container such as a bottle, can,packet or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a label for attachment to a container,the label comprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a seriesof panels by a plurality of transverse fold lines, the strip beingfolded about the transverse fold lines so that one end panel and theadjacent panel form rear and front cover panels, respectively, whichenvelope the remaining panel or panels of the folded strip, the rearcover panel of the strip being shorter in the longitudinal directionthan at least the front cover panel and a third panel, which is adjacentthe front panel, extending beyond the free end of the rear cover paneland having a rearwardly directed over-lapping portion; and a support webto which is adhered the rear face of the rear cover panel, theover-lapping portion being releasably adhered to the support web so asto maintain the folded label in a closed configuration, the arrangementbeing such that the label can be opened by detaching the over-lappingportion from the support web.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label in accordance with the presentinvention in its folded condition and when carried on a release backingmaterial; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the label of FIG. 1 in an unfolded condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a label 2 comprises a longitudinal sheet 4e.g. of paper which is folded into a series of three panels 4, 6, 8 by apair of transverse fold lines 10, 12. One end panel 4 and the middlepanel 6 have substantially the same length in the longitudinal directionand are longer than the other end panel 8. The said one end panel 4 isfolded about the transverse fold line 12 between the said one end panel4 and the middle panel 6 so as to lie underneath the middle panel 6. Themiddle panel 6 and the said one end panel 4 are folded about the othertransverse fold line 10 between the middle panel 6 and the other endpanel 8 so as to lie above the other end panel 8. In the foldedconfiguration the middle panel 6 and the other end panel 8 form frontand back cover panels, respectively, for the said one end panel 4. Aportion 14 of the said one end panel 4 overlaps the free outer edge 16of the other end panel 8 and the outer surface of the over-lappingportion 14 is coated with a band of release material 18. Typically, theband of release material 18 comprises a mixture of a polysiloxane and avarnish. Preferably, the mixture contains from 90 to 99.5 vol %polysiloxane, such as a polysiloxane manufactured under the code nameWS70M and WS78L by Wacker and sold in Great Britain by Ambersil Limited,Basingstoke, Hampshire as Silicone Fluid F100, and from 0.5 to 10 vol %varnish, such as an overprinting varnish made by Fishburn and having thecode name XF 05546. The middle panel 6 is provided with a transverseweakened tear line 20, such as a line of perforations, adjacent thetransverse fold line 10 between the middle panel 6 and the back coverpanel 8.

In an alternative arrangement, the transverse weakened tear line 20 isprovided in the back cover panel 8 adjacent the transverse fold line 10.In a further alternative arrangement, the transverse weakened tear line20 is provided along the transverse fold line 10. The back cover panel 8is adhered to a support web 22 by a layer 23 of adhesive, e.g. a watersoluble adhesive such as pVA (poly vinyl alcohol) and the band ofrelease material 18 on the end panel 4 is adhered to the support web 22by a corresponding band 24 of adhesive. The support web 22 is coated onits rear surface by a pressure sensitive adhesive so that the supportweb 22 is self-adhesive. The support web 22 is releasably carried on alength of release backing material 26.

In use, the support web 22 is adhered by its self-adhesive surface to acontainer such as a bottle. The label is held in its closedconfiguration by the adhesion of the middle panel 6 to the support web22.

When it is desired to open the label, the overlapping portion 14 of theend panel 4 is pulled away from the support web 22 by separating theband of release material 18 from the band of adhesive 22 thereby topermit the label to be unfolded about the transverse fold line 10. Thesaid end panel 4 and the middle panel 6 may then be separated from theback cover panel 8 by tearing along the weakened tear line 20. The tornoff sheet consisting of the end panel 4 and the middle panel 6 may thenbe read by a user.

The present invention can provide a label which permits a part thereofto be torn off easily by a user and which can be easily andinexpensively manufactured. The folded sheet which is adhered to thesupport web is required to be relatively short when compared with otherknown "extended text" labels and the arrangement of the inventionpermits the majority of the folded sheet to be torn off by a user.Furthermore, the invention has particular application in the labellingof plastics bottles having circumferential surfaces which are providedwith inwardly directed strengthening grooves. By having a doublethickness tear-off strip at the front of the adhered label and by havinga support web adhered to the bottle, the tear off strip tends not toconform to the outer shape of the bottle and tends to remain uncreasedand flat.

What I claim is:
 1. A label for attachment to a container, the labelcomprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a series of panelsby a plurality of transverse fold lines, the strip being folded aboutthe transverse fold lines so that one end panel and the adjacent panelform rear and front cover panels, respectively, which envelope theremaining panel or panels of the folded strip, the rear cover panel ofthe strip being shorter in the longitudinal direction that at least thefront cover panel and a third panel, which is adjacent the front panel,extending beyond the free end of the rear cover panel and having arearwardly directed over-lapping portion; and a support web to which isadhered .Iadd.the edge margin of .Iaddend.the rear face of the rearcover panel, .Iadd.adjacent said front cover panel, .Iaddend.the.Iadd.edge margin of the .Iaddend.over-lapping portion .Iadd.adjacentsaid front cover panel .Iaddend.being releasably adhered to the supportweb so as to maintain the folded label in a closed configuration, thearrangement being such that the label can be opened by detaching theover-lapping portion from the support web.
 2. A label according to claim1 wherein a weakened tear line is provided adjacent the transverse foldline which is between the rear and front cover panels. .Iadd.
 3. A labelfor attachment to a container, the label comprising a longitudinal stripwhich is divided into a series of panels by a plurality of transversefold lines, the strip being folded about the transverse fold lines sothat the panel adjacent to a first panel forms a front cover panel, saidfront cover panel trapping the remaining panel or panels of the foldedstrip between said front panel and a support web, to which is adheredthe edge margin of the rear face of the said first panel adjacent saidfront cover panel, the said first panel of the strip being shorter inthe longitudinal direction than at least the front cover panel and athird panel, which is adjacent the front panel, said third panelextending beyond the free end of the said first panel and having arearwardly directed surface; the edge margin of said rearwardly directedsurface adjacent said front cover panel being releasably adhered to thesupport web so as to maintain the folded label in a closedconfiguration, the arrangement being such that the label can be openedby detaching said rearwardly directed surface portion from the supportweb. .Iaddend. .Iadd.4. A label for attachment to a container, the labelcomprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a series of panelsby a plurality of transverse fold lines, the strip being folded aboutthe transverse fold lines so that one panel and the adjacent panel forma first panel and a front cover panel, respectively, said first panel ofthe strip being shorter in the longitudinal direction than at least thefront cover panel and a third panel, which is adjacent the front panel,said third panel extending beyond the free end of said first panel andhaving a rearwardly directed surface which reaches beyond the end ofsaid first panel, and a support web to which is adhered the edge marginof the rear face of said first panel adjacent said front cover panel,the edge margin of said rearwardly directed surface of said extendingportion adjacent said front cover panel being releasably adhered to thesupport web so as to maintain the folded label in a closedconfiguration, the arrangement being such that the label can be openedby detaching the portion from the support web. .Iaddend. .Iadd.5. Alabel for attachment to a container, the label comprising a longitudinalstrip which is divided into a series of panels by a plurality oftransverse fold lines, the strip being folded about the transverse foldlines so that one panel forms a front cover panel, said front coverpanel forming part of an envelope containing the remaining panel orpanels of the folded strip, the first panel of the strip adjacent saidfront cover panel being shorter in the longitudinal direction than atleast said front cover panel, and a third panel, which is adjacent thefront cover panel, extending beyond the free end of the said first paneland having a rearwardly directed surface; and a support web to which isadhered the edge margin of the rear face of the said first paneladjacent said front cover panel, the edge margin of said rearwardlydirected surface adjacent said front cover panel being releasablyadhered to the support web so as to maintain the folded label in aclosed configuration, the arrangement being such that the label can beopened by detaching the rearwardly directed surface from the supportweb. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. A label according to claim 1, wherein the wholeof said rear face of the rear cover panel is adhered to said supportweb. .Iaddend.